title: Dentists' and physicians' attitudes on the role of the dental health care team in a cardiovascular risk factor reduction program.
abstract: This study examines the attitudes of both dentists and physicians on the role of the dental health care team in a cardiovascular risk factor reduction program directed at a general "well" population. A questionnaire was sent to a stratified sample of primary care dentists and physicians in the Augusta, Georgia, metropolitan area. The questionnaire was divided into four parts: the demographic component and three attitude components (the affective component, the cognitive component, and the action component). Results showed that dentists tended to have a positive attitude about performing cholesterol screening, nutrition counseling, and blood pressure screening in the dental office. Physicians tended to be negative about the idea of dentists performing cholesterol screening and nutrition counseling and were undecided about this role for dentists in a cardiovascular risk factor reduction program. Both dentists and physicians had positive attitudes about the idea of dentists referring high cardiovascular risk patients to physicians, as well as about the role of dentists in blood pressure screening. Overall, although dentists and physicians expressed concerns about the role of dentists in a cardiovascular risk factor reduction program, responses of both groups demonstrated a willingness to explore this concept further.
authors.affiliation: Medical College of Georgia, Augusta 30912.
authors.forename: S L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Young
authors.forename: N V
authors.initials: NV
authors.lastname: Karp
authors.forename: W B
authors.initials: WB
authors.lastname: Karp
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D001794:Blood Pressure; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control*; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D003815:Dentists; D005260:Female; D005845:Georgia; D006266:Health Education; D006293:Health Promotion; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009747:Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D010820:Physicians; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D002784:Cholesterol